Friday, 22 September 2017

The country will not hold any more by-elections between now and the 2018 harmonised elections, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said yesterday.In an interview to clarify on a by-election to replace Kwekwe Ward 5 Councillor Weston Masiya (MDC-T) who died last week after a long illness, Justice Makarau said ZEC cannot hold any elections within nine months of the harmonised national elections.

It is envisaged that by the time the current voter registration exercise ends in January, there will no longer be more than nine months left before the national elections.“The process (of voter registration) has started but for now we are not sure if the by-elections will be held or not, but it is very unlikely.‘‘The issue is, elections cannot be held within nine months of a general election, and by the time we finish the process, it will be less than nine months to the elections,” said Justice Makarau.President Mugabe set September 14th as the day for kick-starting voter registration in preparation for the 2018 harmonised elections.In his proclamation 6 of 2017 (Statutory Instrument 109 of 2017) issued through the Government Gazette, President Mugabe said the voter registration exercise would be conducted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission until January 15th, 2018.President Mugabe used powers vested in him as provided in Section 36A (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) to make the proclamation under the advice of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. ZEC is expected to conduct a new voters’ registration exercise in all wards and constituencies in the country. The forthcoming polls are set to be polling station-based.

The proclamation read in part, “ . . . Under and by virtue of the powers vested in me as president, I do, by this my proclamation … fix Thursday, the 14th September, 2017, as the date upon which the new registration will begin; and fix Monday the 15th of January, 2018, as the latest day upon which claims and applications for registration shall be received in all wards and constituencies.” herald